BAS / PLC Key Account Executive

Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Employment Type: Full-Time

Position Overview

We are seeking a strategic, relationship-driven BAS / PLC Key Account Executive to lead the development, expansion, and executive management of high-value customer relationships across healthcare systems, industrial manufacturing organizations, and national accounts. This is a business development and account leadership role focused on creating long-term partnerships, driving enterprise growth, and positioning our organization as a trusted advisor for Building Automation Systems (BAS), HVAC Controls, Industrial Controls, and PLC-driven solutions.

Unlike traditional sales engineering roles that focus on project-level stakeholders, plant personnel, or facilities operations teams, this position is responsible for developing and managing relationships at the executive level, including C-suite leaders, corporate facilities directors, operations executives, capital planning teams, and procurement leadership. The Key Account Executive serves as the strategic voice of the customer and acts as a bridge between customer business objectives and our technical delivery teams.

This role is ideal for an experienced sales professional who thrives in executive conversations, enjoys influencing long-term capital planning and budget discussions, and is motivated by growing regional and national account relationships.

Required Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic account plans for healthcare systems, industrial manufacturers, and regional/national enterprise customers.
• Establish and maintain relationships with C-suite executives, Vice Presidents, corporate facilities leaders, operations executives, and strategic decision-makers.
• Lead executive-level discussions around facility modernization, automation strategies, energy management, operational efficiency, and capital planning.
• Identify, qualify, and develop new opportunities across existing and prospective accounts.
• Maintain ownership of top-of-funnel pipeline generation and long-term account growth initiatives.
• Participate in customer budgeting, capital expenditure planning, and strategic planning meetings.
• Create account growth strategies that align customer business goals with automation and technology investments.
• Coordinate internally with sales engineers, operations leaders, project managers, and technical teams to ensure customer objectives are clearly understood and supported.
• Maintain regular executive business reviews with key customers.
• Negotiate master service agreements, enterprise-level contracts, and strategic partnership agreements.
• Accurately forecast pipeline, opportunities, and revenue expectations.
• Represent the company at industry events, trade associations, healthcare conferences, and manufacturing leadership forums.
• Travel throughout Kentucky and surrounding regions to support customer relationships and strategic account growth.

Preferred Responsibilities

• Support expansion into multi-site healthcare systems and national manufacturing organizations.
• Participate in mergers, acquisitions, and portfolio transition discussions involving customer facilities.
• Identify strategic acquisition targets and partnership opportunities within assigned vertical markets.
• Mentor junior sales professionals on enterprise account management best practices.
• Assist leadership with strategic market planning and growth initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• Experience in business development, strategic sales, account management, or enterprise sales.
• Experience selling Building Automation Systems (BAS), HVAC Controls, Energy Management Systems, Industrial Automation, PLC solutions, Smart Building technologies, or related technical solutions.
• Proven success developing executive-level customer relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to drive complex sales cycles exceeding 6 to 18 months in duration.
• Experience managing strategic accounts with annual revenue responsibilities of $2 million or greater.
• Strong business acumen and financial understanding related to capital planning and operational budgets.
• Outstanding communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of an organization.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience serving healthcare systems, hospitals, medical campuses, pharmaceutical facilities, or large industrial manufacturers.
• Experience working with BAS platforms such as Siemens, Johnson Controls, Schneider Electric, Honeywell, Tridium Niagara, Distech, or Alerton.
• Understanding of industrial automation platforms including Rockwell Automation, Allen-Bradley, Siemens PLC, Ignition, or SCADA technologies.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Construction Management, Automation, or a related field.
• Experience managing multi-state or national accounts.
• Existing executive relationships within healthcare or industrial sectors.
• MBA or advanced business degree.

Required Competencies

• Executive relationship management
• Strategic business development
• Consultative selling
• Account growth planning
• Customer retention and expansion
• Contract negotiation
• Pipeline management
• Financial and budget discussions
• Executive presentations
• Long-term opportunity development

Preferred Competencies

• Healthcare capital planning expertise
• Industrial production and manufacturing knowledge
• Enterprise account leadership
• Energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives
• Smart building technology strategies
• Digital transformation consulting

Performance Expectations

Success in this role will be measured through:

• Growth of strategic account revenue.
• Expansion of executive-level customer relationships.
• Pipeline generation and qualified opportunity development.
• Customer retention and account penetration.
• Multi-year agreement renewals and contract expansions.
• Entry into new healthcare systems and industrial organizations.
• Executive stakeholder engagement and customer satisfaction.